The Experiment Arc
by Jet Set Yoyo
Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long before he's under the reign of Aizen; who decides the boy can be more useful than he appears. Changing the course of his plan, the traitor creates an army of hollowized children to aid him in his fight against Sereitei even if just as a distraction. Even for Sereitei, killing children isn't easy.
1. Episode 1:: A Boy & His Brother

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Episode 1::. A Boy and his Brother

* * *

He couldn't remember what happened; not clearly at least. One moment he was in the park, the next was pure blackness; empty, like it had never existed in the first place. It wasn't long until consciousness returned, cerulean eyes fluttered open tentatively to stare up dazed at the perpetual night sky. His fingers twitched, then closed around a lump of sand underneath him. At this point, he was more than confused; it hadn't been late when he left and he was certainly nowhere near a beach.

Sitting up, the small framed boy glanced around. His sandy hair had a layer of white sand coating it like fresh snowfall. As his eyes darted back and forth, he finally noticed the pair of emerald green ones staring back at him; completely emotionless. However, the observer had little preparation for the coming sudden outburst.

"Brother!" The boy cried out, eyes widened and his look of confusion replaced by a toothy grin. In mere moments he was on his feet racing towards the stoic man who promptly side-stepped to avoid the physical contact the boy was trying to initiate.

"You are mistaken; I am not your brother," The man told the boy, completely unmoved by the crestfallen expression that had quickly taken over. "You are...intriguing. Lord Aizen might have a use for you."

"Huh? Aizen, who's that," came the inquiry, curiosity filling the child's bright orbs. Then he seemed to realize something and his smile returned. "I'm Cael. Well, Kaelan Mikami but I just like Cael. What's your name, and what time is it? I have to go home soon or else my nanny is gonna be mad at me."

The man might have rubbed his temples in an irritated fashion had he possessed any emotions. However such trivial things were beneath him and he merely turned and began to walk away. Humans were irritating things, especially the young ones. He probably would've left the boy to the rest of Hueco Mundo had he not been attracted to the most peculiar phenomenon; a reiatsu spike that rivaled his own for only the briefest of moments. Currently the boy's reiatsu wasn't even notable, barely existent if anything, but the spike had been enough to gain the attention of nearly all of Las Noches.

"So, where we goin'?" Cael's chirp interrupted his thoughts and he looked down to find the boy peering up at him.

"Las Noches. Lord Aizen wants to see you."

"Me," came an incredulous reply. "But how come? And you never answered me. Who's Aizen and what's your name?"

"My name is none of your concern."

"Hey that's not fair! I told you my name," Cael cried out indignantly.

"Lord Aizen, is just that; Lord Aizen. You will address him as such and when he tells you to do something, you do it without question," The man continued on, ignoring the child's outburst.

"Oh...sounds like my nanny then."

Finally Cael stopped speaking, silence surrounding them as they traveled. He was not in any particular hurry. Even if he was, he was reluctant to touch the human and was unsure of the effects using Sonido would have on the child. Lord Aizen wanted him back there alive and unharmed; it wouldn't do to disobey Lord Aizen's orders.

White buildings rose high above them and they soon entered an area surrounded by a dome. Instantaneously, the dark night sky turned to a bright sunny day. Cael marveled at the sight silently, taking in his surroundings. Within the main building, winding hallways left the boy feeling lost and he walked closer to the raven-haired man leading him. Eventually they paused outside of a closed door, one of many lining the white hallways, before entering.

"He's busy," came a sly voice. A silver haired man with a fox-like grin met them inside. Though his eyes appeared shut, he peered down at the small blond child beside the Espada. "Keep an eye on him for now Ulquiorra. Lord Aizen will meet him later."

It was unusual for Lord Aizen to not want an immediate report after a mission; even if he did seem to always know what had happened without being told. However, he was not one to question his commanding officers and promptly turned back around silently wondering what he would do with the human until then. How did one care for a human, a juvenile at that? Thankfully enough it was old enough to communicate fairly well, else he would be at a complete loss but that didn't make his job any easier.

More white, winding hallways were all that met Cael's eyes and he was beginning to feel like he was trapped in a maze. The idea was both exciting and frightening to the eight-year-old. His mind filled with questions as they went. It didn't help that his leader wasn't speaking. Well he could change that; it was getting too quiet anyway.

"Where we goin' now?"

"My quarters. You will remain there under my care until Aizen wants to see you."

"Quarters? You mean like money? We're going to money?"

Ulquiorra halted in his tracks, staring down at the child. Though his expression did not change, he couldn't fathom what possessed the boy to gather that from his brief explanation. Were human children really this unintelligent?

"No. Quarters as in my room." The dark-haired man sighed. It was ridiculous he had to even explain it this far.

"Oh. That's a bedroom silly. Quarters are money that you buy stuff with. Like candy and ice cream. You're funny; I like you," Cael chattered on much to Ulquiorra's dismay.

There at the end of the hallway was the door they stopped at. It looked like every other single door in the place; all white, white, and more white. Desperately the shaggy-haired child wanted his crayons so he could make the place colorful like his coloring book.

"This is where you will stay. Under no circumstances should you leave this room until I come to get you myself. Do not make a mess and do not be loud."

Cael dropped his gaze to the ground. Ulquiorra sure sounded like he didn't want him there; but then why was he being so nice to him? Most people just ignored him even if he tried to talk to them. He looked just like his big brother too but a lot older. Mustering up the courage to take another glance up at the older male, he was pushed inside the room and the door was closed behind him before he could get out another word. Looking around, the room was practically barren. A small desk, a couch, and a table with a seemingly unused tea set were all that filled up any of the space inside; the rest of it empty.

Wondering what to do now that he was confined to a room with literally nothing in it, he plopped down on the couch and swung his legs. For a few minutes he simply looked around the room before getting up to investigate the area in a more hands-on manner. Despite the instructions not to make a mess, Cael was touching everything in sight; picking it up, turning it around in his hands before putting it down again, running his hands across the wall, the couch, the table. After he'd gone through every object and surface in the room he climbed back onto the couch and laid on it upside down, dangling his head off where his feet should have been. The room definitely seemed more interesting this way than right side up.

It didn't take long for him to grow bored, and dizzy from the blood rushing to his head, and he flopped around several times to get more comfortable. Deciding he really didn't want to stay stuck in here, despite Ulquiorra's command, the energetic boy scooted off the couch and to the door. There was no one in the hall, so he closed the door silently and went to explore. If he couldn't go home yet, he might as well have some fun in this new place.

* * *

This has been on my mind for a while now but I had done little more than dribble out tidbits and certain scenes. Now that I have a clearer idea of where I want this to go, I'm putting up the first chapter to see how the rest of you feel about it. Constructive criticism is encouraged.


	2. Episode 2:: The Primera & The Playmate

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Episode 2::. The Primera and The Playmate

* * *

His escapade led him down several winding corridors, a flight of stairs, and down even more corridors until he found an open room. Peeking inside, there was a tall male asleep on a mountain of pillows and a smaller girl with a helmet chattering continuously. Glad he found someone else in his exploration mission, he stepped inside with a grin.

"Hiya! Whatcha doin'?" He chirped, waving at the girl who turned immediately to face him. A look of horror crossed her features before melting into confusion and then finally, curiosity. Cael seemed not to notice and cocked his head slightly. "It's the day time, how come he's sleepin'? Is that your Dad?"

"What? Dad? No, this is Starrk. Who're you anyway and why are you here," she demanded, seemingly put off by the notion of her other half being related in that sense. She was tempted to pull out her sword but the boy in front of her was shorter by a whole head and seemed unarmed. Plus, judging by his reiatsu he wasn't even remotely a threat.

"Oh. 'Kay then. I'm Cael and uh, Ul-key...somethin' – well he brought me here but I got bored so I went s'plorin'. What's your name?"

"Lilynette."

The green-haired girl still seemed slightly perturbed by the boy's presence but understood his poor attempt at pronunciation that the Cuarto Espada had brought him there. If so, then there was likely good reason for it. Ulquiorra wasn't the type to do needless things. For a moment she contemplated waking Starrk, unsure of what to do with the young blond, but it seemed he had already sensed the disturbance and cracked open one sleepy gray eye.

"Hm? I thought you were unusually quiet Lilynette. Who's the kid?"

"Says his name is Cael and Ulquiorra brought him here. Dunno why he's with us though," Lilynette responded irritatedly, huffing at him for sleeping so long.

Starrk opened his other eye and sat up from his comfortable bed, scrutinizing the child still standing in the doorway. It was a wonder why Ulquiorra would bring a child to Las Noches, especially since there seemed to be nothing special about him in the least. After a few more moments of staring at the little blond he flopped back down, earning a growl from the younger girl.

"Starrk! Don't go back to sleep, get up. I'm bored."

"You have a playmate now. Go play a game with this little guy, Cael right?" Cael nodded, though the Primera wasn't looking his way.

"Um, I'll play. Wanna play tag? I like tag, it's fun," the boy offered to which Lilynette seemed hesitant. Her other half had already drifted back off to dreamland and no amount of shouting and shaking would reawaken him. Dejectedly she approached the male. "So...I'll be it then."

"How...do you play?"

Her curiosity was peaked, only slightly, by the prospect of a new game. Though she would rather have Starrk, Cael would be a semi decent substitute for the time being. Cael's eyes widened and held a mischievous gleam knowing she had no idea how to play such a simple game.

"Well, somebody has to be 'it' and the other people playin' have to run away. The 'it' person chases them all until he catches someone. Then that person who got caught gets to be 'it' and chases people," came the crude explanation, hands moving animatedly as he spoke. Lilynette furrowed her brow; the game seemed relatively easy and something most hollows did anyway. Except if you were caught you usually got eaten or absorbed. Still, it seemed to be interesting so she nodded her head.

"You're the 'it' person then?" Cael nodded, Lilynette smirked. "Well catch me then."

Before the human boy could even utter a syllable, Lilynette dashed off with expert speed disappearing from the room and somewhere down the hallway. Cael blinked before giving chase with a gleeful smile. The pair emerged from the confines of the castle-like compound and into the area outside still bathed in artificial sunlight. Unbeknownst to either of them that Ulquiorra had already realized his charge had escaped the room and was studying them from afar. At first the raven-haired Espada was going to admonish the human for disobeying his orders but the prospect of learning something about the little thing seemed far more intriguing. He would reprimand the boy later; for now he wanted to know what all the frivolous giggling was about. So far he couldn't quite put his finger on why chasing someone was funny in any way. Maybe the child shared some traits with Nnoitra or Grimmjow; the both of them found entertainment in hunting things down like prey.

Soon enough, Cael had caught up to the girl and managed to catch her only by tackling her to the ground. That was only after she realized he would never catch her at that rate and slowed her pace out of pity. The pair of them laughed wholeheartedly on the sandy ground, panting from the overexertion.

"Finally...caught you," Cael giggled, brushing away a few locks of golden hair that had been plastered to his forehead by sweat. "You're it now. But you're really fast, how can you run so fast?"

"How can you run so slow?" Lilynette countered. It was a wonder how any humans were even alive at all. They had no fighting abilities, no speed, nothing to their advantage. No wonder the hollows thought they were easy pickings for a quick fix. It had been a long time since she even thought about eating a human soul though; she couldn't even remember a time when she even wanted one. Cael only shrugged in return, so it didn't answer her question.

The game proceeded back and forth in a similar manner for quite some time until the duo had long since exhausted themselves and didn't bother trying to get up off the ground. By then Starrk had awoken several times and grew worried when his other half had not yet returned. He caught sight of them when he sauntered out of the building, coming to stand by the Cuarto Espada.

"What are they doing?" He inquired, sending a quick glance at the other male. Ulquiorra shook his head; he still had no clue. Dissatisfied by the answer, the brown-haired male strode across the sand and stood over them. "Sun bathing Lilynette? Never thought you'd be one for a tan."

The joke worked, riling the girl up; though she likely would have been excited enough to see the man conscious long enough to have a conversation with. She jumped up from the ground, tackling the Primera to the ground with an 'oof'. He couldn't help but smile just for a moment; she seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Took you long enough Starrk! We're playing a human game. He calls it tag."

"Yup, and she won 'cause she's too fast for me. I'm tired," Cael joined in, smiling at the older male. Lilynette smirked triumphantly, not that the win was any grand feat. Just about any hollow in Hueco Mundo could have outrun the young human.

Ulquiorra had decided he had enough of waiting and had not learned much from watching the human interact, striding towards the trio with the same emotionless stare he always wore. Lilynette grew wary, not exactly fond of any of the other Espada. Cael only smiled toothily at the man to which the Cuarto was unsure how to respond.

"Brother!"

"Brother, huh? Well then Ulquiorra, you didn't tell us you had relatives," Starrk yawned lazily and Lilynette snickered.

"I've already told you boy, I have no relation to you. Cease your silly human nicknames," Ulquiorra growled, ignoring the Primera's comment completely. "I believe I told you to stay in the room. You disobeyed me."

Cael dropped his gaze, fiddling with the hem of his hoodie under the gaze of those piercing green eyes. He felt like he was being scolded by his parents all of a sudden; when they were around at least. His nanny did most of the scolding and boy was that often. Ulquiorra was confused by the sudden introverted display that he had paused in his speech long enough for the child to look back up at him; cerulean eyes searching his own.

"I'm sorry," the child muttered finally, looking hopeful that the Espada was no longer cross with him. It was difficult to tell since his expression hadn't changed the entire time. Ulquiorra gave up, nodding at the Primera then turning away to head back into the compound.

"Let's go then. I'm supposed to see to your well-being. Since you are human, I assume you are hungry." It was more of a statement than a question but the boy nodded regardless; trotting to catch up to the long, even strides of the older male.

* * *

I hope I'm keeping the Espada in-character so far. I haven't really had much practice doing so. The story is a bit out of the ordinary I suppose so some OoCness might be present; I'll try to keep it to a minimum if it's absolutely unavoidable. Otherwise let me know if something seems off. Constructive criticism is encouraged.


	3. Episode 3:: Human or Hollow

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Episode 3::. Human or Hollow

* * *

A few days had passed since Cael first arrived in the place Ulquiorra was calling Hueco Mundo. It took a lot of explaining, but finally the small boy had understood that he was in another world not just somewhere away from home. Also that he wouldn't not be returning home in the near future. Strangely enough the boy took it in stride, grinning like the idiotic human he was and exclaiming something along the lines of, "That's so cool!"

Currently the boy was in Ulquiorra's room laying on his stomach on the floor. In front of him were several blank pages and a set of crayons in basic colors. The Cuarto Espada didn't understand the reasons behind the boy wanting to color anything but if it kept him quiet and out of trouble then it was stupid activity he could deal with. Thus he had made a quick trip to the world of the living for some children's entertainment objects. A colorful array of objects, buildings, and people covered the page in front of him. That was when Ulquiorra returned to the room, surprised to see the boy actually had stayed put and was busy at work.

"Brother! Look, I drew Las Noches and Lilynette and you," Cael chirped, grinning ear-to-ear. Sighing, he peered down at the doodles littering the paper. He knew little in way of art so the sentiment meant nothing to the emotionless Espada.

"Enough!" Ulquiorra growled, raising his voice as he glared down at the boy. Cael froze, turning his gaze upwards slowly to meet the man's emerald eyes. "I am not a human. Do not refer to me in your silly human fashion. I will not repeat myself again; I am not your brother."

Irritated by the child, the Cuarto Espada turned on his heel and stalked out of the door. Young Cael was left to his own devices once more as crystalline tears formed in his eyes. Now Ulquiorra was angry with him and he wouldn't come back. Scrambling to his feet, the blond boy pulled open the door to the room and hurried into the hall. It was too late; Ulquiorra had already disappeared somewhere in the maze-like palace. Fear welled up, threatening to spill over inside him as the tears fell. Panic soon joined it.

"U-Ul-key-ora!" The boy called down the hall but was met by silence. The man did not return, nor did anyone else appear. His tears fell faster, terrified of being left alone since the novelty of a new place had already left his system; now he just wanted company.

The feeling was eventually replaced by anger and frustration leading the boy to charge down the empty corridors and out into the sandy dunes. He kept going, unsure of where, as far as his short legs would take him. He emerged from the dome covering Las Noches in artificial sunlight and into the perpetual night where he finally stopped and sat down against a rock.

Back in Las Noches, Ulquiorra was walking with no destination. Never before had he ever wandered aimlessly but the infuriating child that now resided in his room kept him from having somewhere to stay when Aizen did not require his presence. It was a wonder why the man hadn't requested him yet; hadn't he wanted to see the being responsible for such a reiatsu spike? It had already been several days since the boy's appearance. In an instant, he felt that same spike of reiatsu. It was strong enough to rival his own.

This time he rushed towards it, somewhere outside of Las Noches' domain, where he found two hollow corpses. Furrowing his brow he surveyed the area and located the small boy lying unconscious on the ground. That wasn't what surprised the normally stoic man, what did was the hollow-like mask disintegrating off the child's face as his reiatsu returned to a barely noticeable state.

"What is it Grimmjow," Ulquiorra asked, feeling the presence of someone other than him and the boy. A blue-haired man emerged from behind the nearby rock, grinning ear-to-ear.

"You really should keep a better eye on your belongings."

"Then it was you?"

"No, the brat did it. I was coming out here to fight whatever was making all that commotion. Only to find this little thing killed the both of those. Interesting little brat."

"Indeed."

"I want to fight him. Those hollow were pathetically weak but that reiatsu was immense."

"No. Aizen needs him alive and unharmed. You will stay away from him."

"Tch." With that Grimmjow stalked away, back to Las Noches. Ulquiorra stooped down to grab hold of the unconscious lump on the ground before making his way back to his room. Another spike, this time he had caught part of it and not just the aftermath. Still, he didn't know the full extent of this phenomenon and it was beginning to irritate the Espada.

Ulquiorra never slept, he had no need to, so a bed wasn't part of his room's décor. However the boy needed sleep and he made a mental note to get one eventually. In the meantime, he plopped the child onto the sofa and left him there; moving a decent distance away to study the child once more. Humans were such fragile, stupid creatures and yet somehow they always seemed to be interesting. He couldn't put his finger on it but despite how irritating the boy was, Ulquiorra was always drawn to him for one reason or another.

Nearly an hour later, Cael stirred and opened one sleepy eye. Immediately he saw Ulquiorra and sat up. The man's arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes bore the same expression they always did, and he stood staring but unmoving on the other side of the room. At first Cael was worried but when no words came from the other males mouth he dared to move.

"Are you mad at me?" The question tugging on his naïve mind spilled out, blue eyes fixated on the older male.

"It is not within my capabilities to feel anger," Ulquiorra returned. To which Cael only raised an eyebrow, his expression clearly spelling out confusion. "So no; I am not mad."

"Oh, ok."

"Those hollow, you killed them. How did you do it?" The Cuarto inquired, wanting desperately to know this boy's secret.

"Hollow? Kill? I didn't kill anything...did I?"

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed only slightly. He understood now; the boy didn't remember a thing after each episode. Whatever his power was, his secret, it would only be known if he was caught in the act. Perhaps he would take him into the desert and let him fight hollows under supervision; surely that would get him to reveal whatever he was hiding. While he was contemplating, Cael had scooted off the couch and approached him. It was unusual for them to be in the same room together for more than a few moments. Ulquiorra wasn't one to entertain for long periods of time and only came for brief intervals to assess his well-being before taking off again.

Cael's attention was fixated on the sword tied to his obi and he reached out to touch it, fascinated by the object. His wrist was grabbed before he could take hold of the weapon and his eyes shifted upwards to meet Ulquiorra's.

"Do not touch my sword."

"But it's cool. I wanted to see it."

"Seeing does not involve your hands. Nevertheless, do not ever touch my sword."

"Party pooper," Cael mumbled, dropping his hand to his side when it was released. The human slang term was not understood by the Espada and thus he ignored it completely choosing to recross his arms.

"Go to bed. You are exhausted," he commanded the child, noticing the boy's aura was muted and different. Clearly he was tired, judging by the drooping eyes and slouched shoulders, and the human would require sleep in order to regenerate his strength.

"But I'm not-" Cael began but was quickly cut off.

"Yes, you are. Now go to bed or I will tie you down and leave you there."

"Fine. G'night."

Without another complaint, for fear of really being tied up and left all alone, Cael climbed back onto the couch and fluffed up one of the pillows to sleep on. The air in Hueco Mundo was chilly but not unbearable, still he wished he had a blanket to sleep with. He thought better than to ask for one though; Ulquiorra seemed bothered enough by him lately. Cael was far from stupid and chose his battles carefully, even if he was rather gullible at times.

Satisfied that the boy would sleep and stop causing trouble across Las Noches for the night, Ulquiorra left the room wondering why the child would wish him a good night.

* * *

Well since no one's had any complaints so far I guess I'm doing alright with the Espada. Still, if they're OoC please tell me; I seriously hate when chars are terribly OoC. I don't have a Beta so if you notice any spelling or grammar mistakes I may have missed, please tell me of those as well. It's hard to proof read your own work sometimes. Constructive criticism appreciated.


	4. Episode 4:: The Art of Swordplay

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Episode 4::. The Art of Swordplay

* * *

Ulquiorra had returned to his room briefly in the night, long after the human had gone to sleep. Sleep was such a redundant thing; hollows had no use for it. Even if they did, sleeping would only leave one vulnerable to being attacked. So why did humans do it? Surely there was some other way to recharge their energy. It bothered the Cuarto that he could not understand the juvenile creature before him no matter how much he observed him. His eyes saw all, what he could not see did not exist; so then why was there so much he couldn't understand about this boy. He observed for a while longer before the 'day' began again.

Some time after the sun rose Cael stirred in his slumber, disturbed by something he wasn't quite sure of. Opening his sleepy eyes, an unfamiliar man stood above him. Surprised, Cael jumped and ended up falling off the couch. The man laughed, closing his aqua eyes and showing his teeth.

"Well then, what have we got here? Yo, what's your name kid?" The man grinned, ceasing his laughter. The blond boy picked himself up off the floor and peered up curiously at the newcomer. "Hey, I asked you a question brat."

"M'name's Cael. Who're you? Did Bro-uh...Ul-key-"

"Spit it out runt, what're you tryin' to say?"

"I-I can't say his name right," the boy stuttered, clearly flustered by the older male. "The man who brought me here, did he send you here?"

"Ulquiorra? Nope, came to see you myself. I'm Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. Best remember it kid."

"You got somethin' weird on your face, how come?"

Grimmjow blinked, staring at the boy before grinning and jabbing his thumb towards the bone mask that obscured part of his jaw. "This is a mask kid. Everyone's got one here. Don't ask stupid questions, it's annoying."

"Oh, sorry," Cael replied, still staring at the mask. Grimmjow let out a low growl that made the child lower his eyes suddenly. "You have a sword too?"

"Obviously."

"I wanna see it, can I?"

Grimmjow wasn't sure what to make of the kid. So naïve, so stupid, yet it was so interesting. Still, he watched the child give him some sort of teary-eyed look as if that would help persuade him. The Sexta could feel his eye twitching, slapping the offending hand away as the boy reached for Pantera.

"No you can't. What's wrong with you? I could kill you with this," The blue-haired male growled out. "Don't you have your own?"

Cael shook his head, inching back against the couch and rubbing his hand where he'd been hit. Then the man turned to leave, causing the boy's eyes to widen. Without thinking, he grabbed onto Grimmjow's hakama. Had Ulquiorra not made it explicitly clear that the boy wasn't to be harmed, the male might have sliced him in two right there and then.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"None of your business brat, let go. Shouldn't you be afraid?"

Cael let go, frowning, but that didn't stop him from trailing after the Espada as he left. Every step Grimmjow took was making him more and more aggravated since the little human was so persistent in following after him. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, wanting to obliterate the obnoxious little shadow and be done with it. Weighing the pros and cons of the action told him to leave it be; Ulquiorra would probably have his hide if the kid disintegrated into thin air.

"Listen kid. I'm no babysitter; go find something else to do. You're pissing me off and I'm going to fucking hurt you."

That got a reaction. Cael stopped in his tracks, eyes widening once more and his lip quivered. It instilled nothing but annoyance in the Espada who promptly let out a 'Tch' and stormed away, leaving the boy to himself in the hall.

He wished he could remember how to find Lilynette; at least she played with him. But since the place was bigger than his house times ten, he probably wouldn't find it again for a while. Instead he wandered around until he found himself outside again. This time he was on a mission of his own. If Grimmjow was right and everyone had swords, then he wanted one too. He'd find some way to get one.

Taking into consideration the landscape, Cael frowned. There was literally nothing there but sand, rocks, and more sand until he noticed the strange looking little trees popping up occasionally. An idea popped into his head, much like a light bulb turning on, and a mischievous smile crept across his face. Though it was relatively easy to break off a branch, he soon found out the tree was not made of wood but seemed more rock-like than anything else. The boy had no idea it was some sort of quartz material but was determined all the same to fashion himself a sword from it.

From there he dropped to his bottom and set to work trying to procure a sword-like object from the crude material. A shadow dropped over him after a while of working, startling the child into snapping his head upwards. His eyes met with Grimmjow who stood towering over the boy with his signature grin.

"What're ya doin' brat?"

"Makin' a sword 'cause no one wants to let me play with theirs," he replied, satisfied that it was only Grimmjow there as he went back to work carving at the branch with a sharp rock. Grimmjow peered over him to get a look at the thing, surprised to see it was actually kind of sharp.

"Resourceful little shit, ain't ya? Well then, since you're now armed. I'll fight you then. Ulquiorra can't have my ass now."

"You wanna sword fight with me? Will you teach me?" Cerulean eyes sparkled with excitement at the idea, once again shifting upwards to stare at the older male. Grimmjow grumbled, not exactly wanting to tutor the brat; only to test out that strength he barely had chance to witness.

"Eh, whatever kid. Get your sword-thing ready," he grunted back at the boy, deciding to keep Pantera sheathed for now. Instead he took hold of the whole thing, sheath and all, and readied himself. "Now strike me."

Cael came at him, wielding the crude blade and swung it as if it was a baseball bat. Grimmjow blocked easily, in fact he could have blocked the damn thing with his bare hand. A growl emanated from his throat and he shoved the boy back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"You're too predictable and your swing was so weak it wouldn't have hurt even if you hit me," he chastised as Cael got back to his feet. "You're holding it wrong. Look at mine."

"But I don't wanna hurt you. We're just playing, right?" Came the tentative reply. Readjusting his grip, Cael moved in again this time using a diagonal slash. Grimmjow still blocked it with ease, knocking him backwards once more.

"Don't be stupid kid. Here we don't play. You fight like you mean it. Anyone else might fight you to kill you and there won't be anyone to save you if that happens," Grimmjow snarled, advancing on the boy while he was down. He swung his sword down, letting it come to a halt right above the boy's head who had flinched, waiting on the ground to be hit by the sword. "You're dead. Don't cower, fight me like your life depends on it."

The blue-haired male waited until the boy looked up to tap him on the head with the sheathed sword, frowning deeply. Where was this kid's sense of self-preservation? He should be terrified. It was annoying. Swinging at the boy again, he was pleased to see his attack blocked by the little quartz-sword. The older male backed off, letting the kid get back to his feet before advancing again. Another successful block. Grimmjow grinned. Cael moved forward, preparing to strike when something flew by his head. He stopped short, tripping himself and fell flat on his face.

Just in time too as the object that went by him came back again right where head used to be. He followed its direction all way back to a tall, lanky man with long dark hair and a creepy grin. Grimmjow growled once more, bordering feral.

"What're you playin' at Nnoitra?"

"Just came to join the fun is all. What's wrong Grimmjow, can't beat up a little twerp?"

"Aizen said he's off limits."

"Oh, and that's stopped you before?"

"Shut it, asshole."

"G-Grimmjow? Who's that?" Cael piped up, realizing a weapon had just narrowly missed him. Was this what he had just been talking about? Was this man trying to kill him?

"Aw, looks like you got yourself a friend Grim. But your playmate is mine now, beat it. I want a go at him," Nnoitra interjected, letting loose Santa Teresa at the child still laying on the ground. Grimmjow unsheathed Pantera, moving to intercept the attack and blocked it.

"_Nnoitra,_" he growled out again.

The lanky man only laughed, bringing back his weapon and letting it fly once more. This time it was aimed for the Sexta, connecting with his sword and sending the male back several feet past the boy. He seemed to disappear from Cael's sight, reappearing behind him where Grimmjow had gone flying, and went on an all-out assault. Grimmjow could barely counter the quick attacks coming his way. Despite only one rank difference, the Sexta knew he was no match for the other. It was only a matter of time before he was defeated.

One well-placed swing connected with the blue-haired male's head, sending him flying once more and out for the count temporarily. As much as Nnoitra would enjoy finishing him; he wanted a crack at the new kid before his guardian showed up to break up the fun. Grimmjow he could finish off any time he wanted and it was already known that he was stronger.

Cael had picked himself up off the ground, cowering back a few steps as Nnoitra's attention fixated back on him after Grimmjow went down. His knees locked up and his whole body shivered in fear. He didn't want to die and just like Grimmjow had told him; no one was here to save him. The realization seemed to unlock something within him, his legs no longer felt like jelly and his flight or fight response was telling him he couldn't possibly outrun this one.

Taking up his crude sword, the small framed boy still shook slightly but tried his best to stand his ground. Nnoitra's grin spread wider, letting Santa Teresa go again. It connected with the sword, blocked, but sent the boy sprawling backwards across the sand. He scrambled to his feet and reassumed a defensive position. He sent a glance towards Grimmjow, who was just getting back to his feet when a blurred figure appeared in front of him; deflecting Santa Teresa away in one swift motion.

"Nnoitra, cease this idiocy. Aizen requires the boy intact; you know the orders," the emotionless voice spoke. Cael looked up, frightened and shocked by the recent events until he realized it was Ulquiorra and prompted dropped to his knees. "Get up boy. This is not a game."

Regardless of the command, Cael couldn't find the strength to stand again watching as the man called Nnoitra left the area, almost disappearing into thin air. It was then that he stood up, his body shaking again as the adrenaline wore off, and moved closer to the stoic man.

"Fucking Nnoitra." Grimmjow grumbled, approaching the pair. He was already thoroughly ticked off that Nnoitra had appeared, bested him, and ruined his sparring fun; even if it was just with the kid. "See what I told you squirt? Not everyone gives a shit about you here. Learn to defend yourself or you'll end up dead when Ulquiorra's not watching you."

"Indeed. It is highly unlikely that I won't be watching but in the event that something should happen, it would be best if you learn some self defense," Ulquiorra added, crossing his arms across his chest. He could see the child was shaken by the event. Surely that would make him realize the extent of the place he was now in. That would squash all notions of this place being any sort of homely area and the boy would stop his relentless wandering about unsupervised. Grimmjow almost felt sorry for the brat, seeing him shaking out of his sneakers was cruel and if he had any sort of heart he might have gave a shit. As it stood, he had no heart, so the sight only served to aggravate him further.

"Well whatever. If the kid gets himself killed, who cares."

Grimmjow stalked off, bored of the boy and seeking something else to occupy his attention leaving Ulquiorra to lead the child back to his quarters for the nearly-millionth time since his arrival. The action was growing tiresome and quickly.

"Let's go boy. Or I'll leave you here." The threat served its purpose, stopping the quivering and sending the boy into an almost run to catch up.

* * *

Huh, who knew Grimmjow made a halfway decent tutor. Once again, let me know of any errors you see, OoCness for the Espada, etc. etc. Con. Crit. Encouraged. Reviews in general would be nice too but don't let me coerce you. More specifics to the time-frame of this fic will be revealed next chapter. I was going to put it in the first one but I decided it didn't really fit there.


	5. Episode 5:: Comrade

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Episode 5::. Comrade

* * *

Two weeks had gone by already. Between the constant trouble-making, nearly getting killed, unsupervised wandering, and everything else Cael had done to annoy him; Ulquiorra could almost say he was glad when Aizen summoned them so he could meet the boy. He was currently in the process of trying to get the child to leave the room; since when had it ever been that difficult? Every chance the boy had he left the room, now he refused to go.

"Boy. This is not a request. Get up, Lord Aizen has summoned us," he ground out for the second time that morning. "I give you approximately three seconds before I pick you up and drag you there myself. I will guarantee that you will not enjoy it."

"But I don't wanna see Aizen-"

"Lord Aizen, boy. Remember that."

"Uncle Grim said he would train me today. I wanna do that instead," Cael finished indignantly, pouting up at the black-haired Espada.

Ulquiorra stared, irritated by the human nicknames the boy insisted on dispersing among the rest of them; at least the ones he had semi-friendly interactions with. Without warning, he picked the boy up by the hood of his pullover and hoisted him over his shoulder like he weighted virtually nothing. Despite the panicked squeals and shouts to be put down, the Cuarto made his way towards the meeting room.

"You will behave here. If Lord Aizen speaks to you, you listen and you answer promptly. Addressing him as anything other than Lord Aizen will result in swift punishment, I suggest you listen carefully," Ulquiorra warned the child, setting him back down on his feet as they approached the door. Inside, many of the other Espada had begun to arrive and were already seated comfortably around the long rectangular table.

The pair walked in; Ulquiorra striding gracefully to his own seat without care of the curious stares coming his way, while Cael shuffled in staring right back at the Espada. Some he recognized, like Starrk and Lilynette, but others he had never seen before – such as a pink-haired man with glasses who was scrutinizing him intently. With a shiver, Cael hurried over to Ulquiorra and took the extra seat that had been set out beside him. The rest of the Espada trickled in slowly before Aizen, Tousen, and Gin made their appearance.

"My brothers and sisters, we have much to discuss," Aizen spoke, beginning the meeting as he sat down on his throne-like chair. Cael fidgeted in his seat, bored and slightly wary of the aura emanating from the smirking man. "After Ulquiorra and Yammy successful mission to the world of the living we came upon some new information. There will be another mission there in the near future; for now we welcome our newest brother."

Now Aizen was staring in his direction, making the boy fidget even more as the rest of the Espada turned their gazes his way as well. Though he was smiling, Cael felt uneasy under the man's gaze.

"Come here then. Let me have a look at you."

Cael blinked, looking up at Ulquiorra for guidance. The Cuarto remained stoic, giving the boy a light shove off his chair. Tentatively, the boy scooted off the chair and around the table. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading towards Aizen's throne and waited, putting one of his elongated pullover sleeves into his mouth.

"Come closer child, up here." Aizen still smiled and each step the little blond child took felt like he wasn't going to like what was coming. As he came to stop in front of the man, blinking his cerulean eyes the man's smile disappeared. "When I say come here, you do so."

Then just like that the smile was back, masking the rest off. Cael was uncertain he had even seen it disappear, sending a nervous look back down at his guardian. Ulquiorra didn't look worried so maybe everything would be alright after all.

"I've heard you have some interesting powers. Let me see them." Aizen continued, tactfully ignoring the child's hesitation. Cerulean eyes widened, then darted to the floor.

"I-I don't know how."

"Show me boy. Or, if you're useless I can just kill you here. I have no use for weaklings."

Aizen said it so simply, without even a drop of hostility that Cael had to stop and decide if he really had heard the death threat. If he had heard the same thing before he had the not-so-pleasant experience of almost dying here a few times, he might have not taken the man so seriously. With another glance backwards, the blond child extended his hands in front of him together as if waiting for something to be dropped in them. He thought hard about seeing that swirl of power in his hands, the one he could now only vaguely remembered whenever he had an episode; as Grimmjow and Ulquiorra liked to call it.

He could feel it, swirling and gathering in his palms. This raw sort of power that tickled and numbed him all at once; controllable yet not and still a complete mystery. When he was sure he must have gathered it all up, he lifted his hands to obscure his face and the bone mask seemed to crawl over him; taking over his features and his consciousness. This was, in fact, the first time any of the Espada had witnessed exactly what the spike in reiatsu was; though they had already gathered it was coming from the child in some shape or form.

The more the mask took over, the higher the reiatsu climbed. Cael let out a painful half-hollow, half-human shriek before the mask crumbled away into dust; barely half formed. Panting, dizzy, and feeling quite sick, Cael hoped Aizen would let him go sit back down before he passed out on the floor. Instead, the brown-haired ex-shinigami let his smile grow.

"Excellent. That was quite a show, child. Now, let's test your strength." With a snap, Aizen summoned a nameless arrancar. He, it looked fairly masculine, stood by in a fairly open corner of the room seemingly irritated with the prospect of being a sparring partner to a lowly little human child. "Well, go on then. Fight him. Show me your strength."

Cael sucked in a quick breath, startled by the command. Ulquiorra's earlier warning played through his mind on repeat while Aizen's own words overlapped them. He had to do it; or Aizen would kill him. Clenching his fists tightly, he marched as if it was to his death down the steps of Aizen's throne back towards the table of Espada. He hadn't been paying enough attention to realize just where he was walking before it was too late to turn back.

In a split second a sword came out; Cael turned on his heel, pushing against the floor to propel himself away all the while tilting his head backwards just enough to be missed by the offending weapon as it glided by. Since Grimmjow and Ulquiorra's instruction began earlier that week he'd learned to sense danger around him fairly quickly. The rest was taking a bit longer considering the tyke was as pacifistic as a Buddhist monk if the destructive blue-haired male had ever seen one. At least consciously he was. In the face of danger it usually was fifty-fifty.

Nnoitra clicked his tongue in annoyance, more pissed off than surprised that the boy had dodged his attack. Not that Lord Aizen would be pleased that he went and decapitated his new play toy but the thrill of offing one of Ulquiorra's responsibilities from right under his nose seemed like fun to the lanky male. In an instant he was up and towering over the boy, a large toothy grin spreading wider and wider across his face, and the two girls he was supposed to fight slinked off; not willing to get in the middle. Cael was now backed against the wall, eyes wide and frightened while the rest of them watched. He sent a quick look Ulquiorra's way but the older male was not budging from his chair; he wasn't going to save him.

"Thought you could get away, eh, little shit?" Nnoitra chuckled, basking in the terrified child's expression. "Ulquiorra won't save you this time."

Inching his way towards the door the small framed child took off in a dash, ducking quickly under Nnoitra, going out the door and into the hall. Aizen's smirk seemed to diminish a smidgeon but did not disappear.

"Pity, I was looking forward to seeing him engage in combat first-hand," the man let out a dramatic sigh but waved his hand at the rest of them. "All the same I suppose. You're dismissed. Ulquiorra, if he comes back alive let me know. I'll be most interested to know where he stands in terms of strength. Perhaps I might have a use for him after all."

"Yes, Lord Aizen."

Though the child was a constant thorn in his side, the raven-haired Espada had grown somewhat accustomed to having the inquisitive mind around. Aside from missions it gave him something to do, something with meaning. His unfortunate run-in with Nnoitra would likely be his downfall; the man was cunning and cruel even managing to bring down the previous third Espada despite their difference in rank.

Meanwhile Starrk left the meeting room and strode casually back to his own room, no doubt to crawl back into his pile of cushions, when he was stopped by a light tug on his jacket. Lilynette had stopped in her tracks looking perturbed.

"What," he inquired, unused to her being reluctant to voice her opinion.

"Should we just leave him like that?"

"There's nothing we can do," came the curt, yet lazy, reply. Starrk continued back to their room, eagerly awaiting his bed. Lilynette on the other hand was not at all pleased turning on her heel and stomping away.

"I'll help him myself then. He's a comrade now, isn't he," she grumbled to the empty hallway but Starrk heard her anyway, letting out a soft sigh. The kid was a comrade now, Lord Aizen had introduced him as a brother; one of their own. Not wanting to leave Lilynette to the mercy of Nnoitra, he reluctantly followed after her.

* * *

Ulquiorra finally went back to his room. With nothing better to do now he was contemplating just relaxing on his couch; the one the boy used to occupy. What he wasn't expecting was to open his door and find the unconscious form of the boy taking up said couch. Was this some sort of joke; leaving the corpse of the human child for him to find? It only took two long strides to reach the piece of furniture, two fingers reached out casually to feel for a pulse - just in case.

And by some miracle he found one. Perfectly normal; the child was asleep, huddled in a ball but looking completely peaceful as if he was not just hunted around Las Noches like a wild animal. Raising an eyebrow, Ulquiorra was confused. Sure the boy had fended off smaller hollow on his own with an incomplete power but Nnoitra was a different story; a full-fledged Espada with complete control over his own power. Not to mention far more battle experience than this boy had witnessed in his entire lifetime. The notion eluded him fully, so much that he actually sat down beside the child to ponder how it was possible. Then a figure stepped into view by the door frame; make that two figures.

"He's got potential," Starrk commented, letting his gray eyes shift from Ulquiorra to Cael. "Was holding out fairly well. Til Lilynette insisted we butt in."

"He's our comrade. We don't let comrades die," Lilynette huffed grouchily, stomping on the older man's foot for good measure. Surely Starrk remembered the times they were all alone, wishing for allies; anyone to be around that wouldn't die just from their presence. How he could act so indifferent about them all was beyond her comprehension.

"Indeed he does. If Lord Aizen wishes to use it, then his powers will grow."

With that the Primera and his other half left, leaving Ulquiorra to himself and the soft breathing of the little blond beside him. Cael rolled over to his back, a small smile upon his lips as he began to snore lightly. Sighing irritably, the Cuarto didn't bother to cease the annoying sounds coming from the boy; letting him sleep undisturbed.

* * *

I was debating whether or not to include what happened between Nnoitra, Cael, Lilynette, and Starrk but since that hadn't been in the original plan when I thought this up I didn't include it. Maybe I'll do a separate thing for it if anyone really wants to know. That would require me to actually think it up though. At first I was going to have it just be Lilynette who went to help him but if anyone's seen the Karakura Town Arc then it wouldn't make sense since she's fairly weak on her own and Starrk wouldn't allow her to be harmed anyway. Enough of me yapping though.

Let me know if you find any spelling errors, grammar issues, OoC Espada, or potential plot holes. I'm all ears for constructive criticism too.

**Looking For a Beta. PM me if interested; I'm never good at finding someone who isn't terribly busy.**


	6. Episode 6:: Aizen's Edict Mission 1

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Episode 6::. Aizen's Edict; Mission One

* * *

Cael trotted after his guardian down the corridor, eyes sparkling with delight. The reason for said happiness was a child-sized wooden sword was now strapped to his belt in the same fashion as his mentor's. The sword had appeared earlier that day. Grimmjow had taken the boy out for a sparring match and this time he had ventured outside of Las Noches' protective dome.

_Excitement bubbled through the young human as he followed 'Uncle Grimmjow.' The older male didn't mind the nicknames as much as Ulquiorra did, choosing to take a bit of pride in it rather than disgust. Sand shifted beneath their feet as they traveled. They had been training for several days now, nearly a week really, and the Sexta decided to give the kid something harder; he took him beyond the dome of Las Noches that usually deterred any nearby hollows. Both the sunlight and the immense collection of reiatsu within was likely the reason for their reluctance._

"_Uncle Grimm, what am I going to learn today?"_

"_Eh, dunno kid. Whatever I think of when we get there," Grimmjow shrugged the question off casually, not even turning to look at the boy who was falling behind. "Keep up kid. You'll be hollow food."_

_Cael didn't need to be told twice and scrambled against the cold, white sand to quicken his pace. So quickly he walked right into the back of the blue-haired man's leg. Picking himself back up off the ground, Cael dusted the sand off and peered up curiously._

"_Uncle Grimm?"_

"_Here's good. See that guy over there? This is your test; go fight him," Grimmjow said, pointing ahead where a fairly mid-sized hollow lurked. Cael followed the direction of his finger, settling on the hollow's form with a frown._

"_Fight 'im? Um, but-"_

"_No buts! You have to learn this squirt; go on."_

_At first Cael approached with only his quartz-sword; shaking slightly. He even went as far as to ask the hollow being if he could spar with it. Until he realized it didn't talk, only howled angrily at him, and it lunged quickly at the pint-size child. With a yelp, the blond leaped backwards to avoid the arm that swung forward with vengeance._

_Grimmjow looked on with interest. Feeling that reiatsu from before, he knew the kid had some __sort of strength to him; just how much and why exactly was still a mystery neither he or Ulquiorra could discover just yet._

_Cael wasn't so lucky the next time. He had darted forward, tripping himself on the loose sand and went hurdling into the oncoming attack. The wind was knocked clear out of him as his body connected with the arm and was send tumbling. There wasn't any time to catch his breath before another attack was coming at him._

_Without warning, his reiatsu exploded outwards. The sheer force of it knocked the hollow off-balance long enough for part of his mask to take shape; obscuring his forehead and eyes. Quartz-sword in hand, he moved with new motive and a certain uncharacteristic grace. For a brief moment, he disappeared from sight, reappearing behind the creature and severing the mask from it's head in one swift motion. A sharp, hollow-like, wail resonated from his lips._

_As the hollow fell to the ground defeated, Cael's eyes rolled back and he lost balance landing on his back with a sand-muffled thump. Unconsciousness took over and the mask disintegrated like it did every time before. Grimmjow smirked, amused by the display. It was a shame the kid could barely manage one attack before the mask went away but the power behind it was enough to keep him, and others, interested. This time the mask's reiatsu reformed beside him as it left his face, forming a small wooden sword. Cael blinked wearily, waking up from the strange occurrence, to find his tutor standing over him._

"_That's your Zanpakuto, kid. Pick it up," Grimmjow spoke, waiting for the boy to get up. "Lesson's over. Go find Ulquiorra, I've got things to do. Maybe you can finally kick Nnoitra's ass."_

That was hours ago. Now he was back with his guardian, trailing him like a lost puppy through the halls of Las Noches once more; this time to another meeting he was just as reluctant to go to. He opted to walk himself there rather than be carried like a sack of potatoes though.

"I suggest you keep your distance from Nnoitra. Starrk might not be so kind as to save you a second time," Ulquiorra spoke up. If Aizen hadn't wanted to boy alive and unharmed, he wouldn't have cared less if the child wanted to get himself killed. It would've been so much easier to lock the child up and be done with it but humans, especially juveniles, required more attention. They needed sleep, food, physical contact, and companionship; such selfish, needy creatures.

"I don't like him; not at all," Cael mumbled, stopping for a moment at the door to the meeting room. Inside most of the Espada had gathered, besides a few stragglers – such as Grimmjow; who never cared much about the meetings anyway. He avoided looking at the lanky, dark-haired male as he went in and took his seat.

"What's the matter squirt? You scared o' me?" Nnoitra taunted across the table, grinning as Cael looked up. Instead of cowering, the kid had the gall to narrow his eyes.

"You're a bully. Not scared of you, 'cause I gots a Z-Zan-pack-u-toe now like you do. Uncle Grimmjow says I can kick your ass any time now."

The naïve comment sent the Quinto into a frenzy of laughter. The were a few collective looks of surprise around the table when the child mentioned having a Zanpakuto. Aizen had taken that moment to enter, listening in on the conversation. Gin and Tousen weren't far behind, standing beside the throne of their fellow Shinigami. Gin's grin seemed to spread, while Tousen remained as impassive as ever. It was difficult to discern his thoughts.

"Hah. Uncle Grimmjow. How cute. Listen you little shit, having a Zanpakuto means nothing. I can still obliterate you easier than lifting my pinkie. Best remember that and watch your back," Nnoitra snarled, leaning forward across the table. Cael shrunk back but his defiant gaze was not deterred. The reassuring presence of Ulquiorra kept his courage from waning.

"That's enough," Aizen's voice settled the matter instantly and Nnoitra leaned back in his chair. Cael looked momentarily triumphant until he remembered the fear he held for his new leader, shrinking back fully into his own chair. "It's come to my attention young Cael's power level has been in question for quite some time now. Upon further investigation, it is apparent he is now to be considered one of the Espada; ranking the same as Ulquiorra here. Therefore, another method for our ultimate goal has come to mind and I have a mission for each and every single one of you."

The Espada listened on, intrigued as well as taken aback by the ranking given to the child. A few thought as far as to wonder whether he just booted someone out of position but the question died before it had even reached their tongues; Aizen was not finished speaking.

"You are all to infiltrate the world of the living; choose a child to your liking and bring it back with you. With the power of the Hōgyoku I believe we might make ourselves another formidable army. Cael, I have something to show you – come here," Aizen finished waiting as the scrawny child hurried over so as not to make him angry like last time. Once at the top, beside the throne, Aizen revealed the Hōgyoku in his hand to the boy with a faux smile.

Debating whether or not to keep his mouth shut or to give in to the questions begging to be let out, Cael finally gave in to his curiosity. Reaching for the orb-like object, he was a bit put off when Aizen held it back out of his reach.

"What's that? It looks like a marble," Cael chattered, cerulean following the orb wherever Aizen moved it. The man only smirked.

"This will help you control your powers among other things. Hold still child."

A blinding light filled the room; surrounding him, suffocating him, yet sending a warm calm through him that he'd never experienced before. When it dispersed he almost missed it but preferred to see clearly. He didn't feel any different. Daring to lock eyes with Lord Aizen, Cael sent him a puzzled stare.

"Now bring out your mask."

Cael nearly paled. Was this going to be a reoccurring event every time they were called to one of these meetings; aside from Nnoitra's chilling grin, the various stares, and the seemingly meaningless information about someone named Ichigo Kurosaki? Still, he remembered the threat from the last time as well as Ulquiorra's warning and held out his hands to gather his power.

Surprisingly enough, he felt the power collect much quicker than last time. It seemed much denser as well. Bringing the invisible swirling mass to his face, the room exploded with reiatsu as the mask climbed its way across his chubby face. Nearly complete, Cael panicked. Someone, _something _ was inside his mind. He could hear it talking but he could not decipher its words. It whispered to him but the feeling was frightening enough in its own right despite not knowing what it was saying. Frantically, he willed the mask and the voice accompanying it away. The power was still too much for him in a short period of time and the mask disintegrated; almost full formed. Aizen was content with the results, waving the boy away to which he gratefully skipped down the steps and returned to his seat.

Even though the mask had gone away, Cael could feel his heart pounding and the feeling that something was different. Unable to put his finger on it, he kept silent through the remainder of the meeting. Finally they were dismissed, everyone getting ready to depart for the world of the living, and he stuck to the Quarto like glue as they left.

"Brother, I don't like that mask. It makes me feel funny, like someone's talking to me in my head. Does your mask make people talk in your head?"

Ulquiorra didn't answer, ignoring the incessant tugging at his hakama, but contemplated the answer regardless. Hearing voices wasn't a normal occurrence among Arrancar, nor was it for humans. Perhaps the boy's mental state was unstable. Yet he seemed just like every other human child he had been unfortunate enough to encounter while obtaining supplies for the being in his care.

"Do you have your Zanpakuto with you?" Cael nodded when the man turned to look at him. "You may need it. Your role will be important when we arrive in the world of the living. Follow my instructions without question."

Once again Cael nodded but Ulquiorra didn't bother looking back at him. He stopped walking and snapped his fingers. Instantaneously the air seemed to rip in two revealing a dark hole in the middle of the corridor.

"Follow my steps and stay close or I will leave you where you are."

With that the Espada stepped through the Garganta, Cael so close on his heels he was nearly stepping on the man. Before long, they emerged on the other end and the shaggy-haired child was never so happy to be on solid ground before in his life. The unstable air in the Garganta made him queasy and nervous.

Though Ulquiorra had no need to locate another child – one was enough; he was overseeing the entire project as per Aizen's orders. Cael had tuned out the rest of the meeting and had missed the memo but it didn't bother the boy in the slightest. Grimmjow emerged nearby from his own Garganta, earning a gleeful grin from the eight-year-old.

"A kid, huh? Better find me one that knows how to shut up then," he grumbled glancing at Cael who loped over to him. "Hey you, squirt, find me some kids I can pick from."

"Well, um, kids go to school and stuff so I dunno if they're even out now," the boy explained having forgotten all about school while he was in Hueco Mundo. Did his teachers and friends miss him? What about his Nanny, Mom, and Dad? Pondering to himself, Grimmjow just growled and walked past the short boy. It didn't take long for the male to find himself a suitable candidate; in fact one walked square into him as it rounded a corner.

"What the-" The pre-teen yelped looking quite perplexed at what he could have possibly walked into. It didn't occur to him, nor Grimmjow, that the obstacle was still right in front of him but could not be seen. Deep blue eyes darted back and forth, searching for the offending object, until he was lifted into the air carelessly. Then he panicked and flailed, attempting to free himself from the unseen enemy.

"What the hell? Ack, let me go!" He screeched, still struggling against the firm, invisible grip.

"Ah, got one. Feisty too. Whatever, works for me," Grimmjow laughed, glad to have finished his mission so early. He decided in that moment he liked trips to the world of the living and wondered if he should find that Ichigo kid Ulquiorra had gone to investigate just before Cael had shown up. Opening up a Garganta, the blue-haired male disappeared from view leaving the pair of them alone again.

"So...how come we're taking kids again? Isn't that against the law, or somethin'? Is it so I can have friends in H-Hwe-ko Moon-do?"

"No. Nothing I do will ever be for you. I live to serve Lord Aizen; as do you. Remember that boy."

"Oh, well that's boring...and I don't like it either. It's not nice."

"Silence. You will complete your mission as the rest of us are. Otherwise you will be punished severely."

The threat had it's effect and Cael promptly snapped his mouth shut after he had opened it, ready to retort the idea once more. Kidnapping wasn't something the little boy wanted much part of but as it stood he now had little choice. Eight crying, screaming, struggling children later Cael re-entered the dreaded Garganta back to Las Noches feeling guilty and sick from having a part in coercing some of them to go with them. Sometimes he missed his own home too but the excitement, and sometimes terror, of being in the hollow world usually kept him from remembering such a thing.

* * *

Ah, the plan is set in motion. Well, here goes nothing. Heh. As always, let me know if you find anything wrong with it; spelling, grammar, OoC Espada, plot loopholes, etc. Reviews of any sort would be nice but I won't beg. Also, for future reference (for reasons I won't tell yet) I'll explain my idea behind Sonido since it's never been officially confirmed.

I believe Sonido is ripping a hole in space, much like the Garganta, and using it to literally teleport from place to place. Because it takes time to open a rip, enter, open another one in the correct spot, and go through again to end up where you want, different Espada have different mastery levels. Zommari had the fastest, if I am correct, which would further support my idea because of his 'clone' thingy's. Since he can move so fast, he can rip and enter more portals at a quicker pace resulting in the effect that he is cloning himself. Shunpo on the other hand, is just quickly moving from point A to point B.

Possible spoilers here; don't read if you haven't seen the Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra episode(s) even if it is a fairly minor one.

Ulquiorra states Ichigo's use of Sonido when he makes the full transformation to a hollow slipped through his Pesquisa (sp?). It could either be because Ichigo is more hollow-like both in appearance and reiatsu, or because when he moved he didn't just go from point A to point B like Shunpo but actually ripped a hole in space and exited out the other end near him. Anywho; that's my theory. Until disproven by Kubo I will be sticking to it. Cael will use Sonido, when he's skilled enough, though I won't tell you why that is either. It's 5 am, I haven't slept yet because Youtube stole my soul for three hours so alas; I'm going to bed now.


	7. Episode 7:: Hogyoku

Bleach:. The Experiment Arc

By Jet Set Yoyo

Disclaimer: Bleach and it's characters belong to Kubo Tite; I only own the OC's.

Summary: Accidentally hollowized; an eight-year-old boy ends up in Hueco Mundo. It isn't long until he's under the reign of Aizen who soon finds out he can not only utilize his Espada but make an experimental army of hollowized children to eventually take on the Shinigami in the coming Winter War. After all, who could fight small children and not feel terrible about it? Certainly not the Shinigami.

Thank you everyone who reviewed; as well as that one guest reviewer I got as well. I'm glad this is likable. Shame on me though; I let this story fall off the front page too long.

Episode 7::. Hogyoku

* * *

Cael wasn't thrilled with the Garganta that brought them back into Hueco Mundo. Despite being content with his new surroundings; he did want to see more of his home town. Maybe stop in to say hi to a few friends. The queasy feeling from crossing the unstable precipice world finally subsided, leaving the young boy to finally notice he was right smack in the middle of the meeting room once more. He pouted only slightly; this was by far his least favorite place in Las Noches and that was only because he was fortunate enough not to have found Nnoitra's room yet.

"Cael?" Came a familiar, yet unfamiliar, voice; no one in Las Noches had that sort of voice. It was unsure, confused even. "I thought that was you. What's going on; why're ya here? You've been missing forever."

Following the sound, the sandy blond-haired child scanned through the various Espada and the children they had collected until a familiar face stood out; then another, finally one more. He had to be sure it was real, blinking a few times just for good measure. For all he knew he could have fallen off the path in the Garganta and Ulquiorra left him to whatever fate would have him. After a period of silence the boy grinned toothily.

"Korey! Zaiden! Keiraan," he squealed with excitement while the trio eyed him curiously. Korey, a fallow-haired boy with a piercing cobalt gaze, stepped towards him effectively ignoring the low growl from the Sexta that had kidnapped him. Despite all efforts the pre-teen had to be angry with the naive child; Cael only continued to grin unperturbed.

"Where have you been, you disappeared and no one could find you. That's not cool dude; everyone's worried about you," he piped up, not exactly angry with his younger friend but the relief of finding him alright, or as well as one could be in whatever situation this was, was overwhelming enough.

It was Ulquiorra who spoke next, shushing the entire room into a pregnant silence, "The boy will not be returning to his so-called home. Neither will any of you; you belong to Lord Aizen now."

"Hey bud, no one was talkin' to ya. 'Kay? I don't ca-," Korey remarked back snarkily only to be startled when the raven-haired Cuarto suddenly teleported in front of him.

"Your presence here can be dismissed; we could always find a replacement. Lord Aizen has not wasted precious time and resources to perfect you yet, therefore you are still expendable. Keep it in mind, boy, before you speak again."

A snort emitted from the pre-teen, angry yet frightened of the strange man. The others were just as odd; sitting so calmly at the table as if nothing interesting was happening around them. Did this sort of thing happen every day? Korey didn't want to know. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a light tugging on his sleeveless shirt; Cael was still enjoying himself obviously. Ulquiorra returned to the table, satisfied by the expression the young male had displayed that he had gotten the message.

"What's with these people, kiddo?"

"They're, uh, Es-pa-da. That was Brother but he's not always mean. And that's Grimmjow; he's got a cool sword and he's teachin' me to fight for real..." Korey's reaction only grew more incredulous as the eight-year-old's explanation went on. Half of what was said was surely impossible to be true. Floating, changing swords, masks, monsters; impossible. He tuned most of the fairy tale out. The expression went unnoticed, however, by the excitable chattering of the younger male. "Oh, and that's Starrk and Lilynette. They're nice too. 'an that's Nnoitra...I don't like him."

The children had been left by the back area of the room while the Espada took their usual seats awaiting Aizen's appearance and a verdict of what to do with these new beings. Korey turned to a boy his age, frowning lightly, and when he realized the other male wasn't paying attention to anything around him he punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey Zaiden, we've just magically gone to a new world and you're standing there in la-la land; what's with you dude? Besides, now we found where Cael went," he grumbled, eying the chestnut-haired teen who merely opened one eye to acknowledge him. With another indignant snort he continued, "I just got kidnapped, didn't you? And you're calm? What about you Keiraan?"

"Guess she wasn't lyin' when she said my friends would be here. Dunno who these other kids are though," a red-headed girl chimed in, peering around at the six other children occupying the meeting room. "That's how I came, I wasn't kidnapped. I came on my own."

Cael beamed at the trio; he knew them from home. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a throat cleared gathering their attention. Aizen had entered the meeting room and had already seated himself at his throne.

"I can see the mission was a success; good," he noted with a small smile as he scrutinized the children before him. "Each of you are very important to me, you see I need your help."

Korey didn't miss the look on the man's face. He was smiling but there was nothing friendly about it; whatever this help was, he wasn't so sure he wanted to do it. It was like a stranger in a car his mother always warned him not to accept candy from. The two-tone haired boy crossed his arms, noting how frightened Cael seemed by the man's presence even from across the room, and stared up at him.

The boy beside him, Zaiden, had his hands shoved lazily in his pockets. He was listening but it seemed as though he wasn't interested in the slightest. The indifferent expression crossing his features had not changed at all.

"You will all have a mentor here. You will be taught to fight and you will fight for me. There is a war coming soon and for us to win, your assistance is required," Aizen told them. "Children, come here."

Aizen did not explain further, despite the obviously confused collection of faces. A few hushed murmurs scattered through the group of pre-pubescents before they gathered at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the throne, climbing them one-by-one. All except Cael who took his seat beside Ulquiorra in favor, unwilling to get close once more.

* * *

A raven-haired male was the first to go up, smirking as if unperturbed by the notion of fighting. In fact he was quite thrilled by it having been found by Nnoitra while bullying a few other children. He came to a halt in front of the ex-shinigami and scrutinized the man right back.

"Your name, boy?"

"They call me Xalder Carrow."

Aizen made no move to reproach the boy's disrespectful behavior, only pulling out the Hogyoku and letting it engulf him in white light. When the light receded a Zanpakuto was left in its wake, already fashioned to Xalder's belt.

"You Xalder, shall be paired with Nnoitra."

"Eh, a sword, huh? Sweet," Xalder grinned, pulling the sword from its sheath to examine the blade. He pointed it at the boy directly behind him casually, earning a collective gasp from the few kids who could see the action.

"Move already, you're wasting time," The other boy grumbled, moving some of his long auburn hair from his eyes. The blade had startled him; he wanted to get one too before the other child decided to use his. Xalder only sneered, returning down the steps and towards the man who waved him over.

The Auburn-haired boy went up next, introducing himself as Owen Bridger, followed by his twin brother Wyatt. Each received their Zanpakuto's through the mysterious light-shining orb. The meaning behind it all was still unclear to the group.

"Owen, your mentor is Barragan. Wyatt yours is Aaroneiro." The pair of boys descended the staircase and parted ways to take their own seats.

Next a timid, silver-haired boy approached and whispered his name was Liam Baker accepting his Zanpakuto hesitantly.

"Liam, Szayel will mentor you."

Korey was next, still crossing his arms. He wasn't so sure he liked this guy but to him, free swords were much cooler than candy. Still, Cael seemed pretty freaked out enough not follow the rest of them up there; or maybe it was just his imagination.

Meanwhile the little blond was watching the event warily, afraid Aizen would make one of them fight someone like Nnoitra; just like he did to him. Ulquiorra, on the other hand, was curious as to why the children were already receiving Zanpakuto's from the Hogyoku when Cael had not gotten his until much later.

"The name's Korey. Korey Jergins."

"Ah, Korey. You will be paired with Grimmjow."

"Tch. The fruitcake who kidnapped me?" He quipped as he turned to see the blue-haired male give him the finger, indicating who he was to the irritable pre-teen. "Fine, fine, whatever."

"So much for one that wouldn't piss me off." Grimmjow growled, glaring at the impertinent boy as he took his seat beside him. Korey made to snarl back, holding his tongue only when Aizen cleared his throat as well as sent a warning glance down at the troublesome pair.

Keiraan approached next, blinking green eyes in curiosity at the blue orb held out in front of her. So many questions ran through her mind she couldn't sort through them to ask one before Aizen cleared his throat again, bidding her to state her name like the others.

"I'm Keiraan Minamoto."

"Halibel is your new mentor, Keiraan."

Keiraan trotted back down the steps, taking her seat beside the blond-haired woman just as a pair of small onyx-eyed twins stepped up to the throne. They were holding hands and seemed reluctant to separate. The female, seemingly bolder than her fraternal male counterpart, spoke up first.

"I'm Violet Jaciel," she piped up, putting on a brave front but her grip on her brother's hand tightened ever so slightly. Her brother's gaze never rose to meet Aizen's own piercing one, he didn't bother to speak up either. "This is my brother Virid."

Aizen raised an eyebrow in amusement. He considered berating the boy for not speaking up on his own but decided against the action just yet. The Hogyoku's light surrounded them, leaving behind their Zanpakuto's.

"Violet, Yammy shall be your guardian. Virid, you will go with Zommari."

The last child, Zaiden, stepped up. The chestnut-haired boy still had his hands tucked away in the pockets of his jeans as he observed the glowing orb in a disinterested fashion.

"Zaiden Zakii."

"Zaiden, my boy, your mentor is Starrk," he told the child watching as the boy made no move to even glance at his Zanpakuto before sauntering down the steps and into the seat beside the last remaining Espada. "Now, my dear Espada, I trust you all to show your new apprentices the ways around here as well as keep them in good health. Teach them well, they will be crucial in the coming months. You are all dismissed."

With the Espada filing out to return to their own quarters, Aizen rose from his seat as Gin and Tousen joined him.

"Kids, eh Aizen? Ya sure that's a good idea?" Gin spoke up, eying the last of the little ones to leave the room. His gaze revealed nothing of his thoughts, but Aizen only smiled back at him.

"All in due time Gin," the man replied. "Do you doubt me?"

"Nah. Just curious as to how they could be so important when they're just a bunch 'o tykes."

"Lord Aizen would not do things without purpose, Gin," Tousen joined in the conversation, frowning deeply at the other man. "In any case, children need to feel they are important in order for them to be complacent. Ordering them would only make them insubordinate. It is in the nature of human children to be difficult if they are not getting their own way."

* * *

Cael flew from his seat to join Korey, Zaiden, and Keiraan as they left with their new guardians trotting along side them happily. This was, by far, the most interesting meeting he had gone to. It wasn't all war strategies and information about some guy named Ichigo. It was certainly a plus that no one had assaulted him during it either.

"You guys got swords too," he chirped, grinning ear-to-ear. "That's so cool. Hey Korey, wanna play?"

"Eh, beat it squirt. We're not fighting today," Grimmjow interrupted, pushing the boy away with a light scowl.

"You _fought_ him? He's a kid, why would you do that," Korey shouted incredulously. Angered that his young friend was put in harms way on purpose.

"'Cause this isn't a place that gives a shit how old you are. If you're strong, you live. If you're weak, then you get eaten by something stronger than you. Get used to it."

Korey scowled back, continuing on down the corridor after the Sexta as he left Cael behind. He knew Cael and he certainly wasn't strong or a fighter. His thoughts drifted back to days spent with the younger boy back in their home town.

* * *

_Korey always tagged along with his Mother when she did work at the Mikami household. She was a maid essentially; cleaning up, doing laundry, and other assortments of oddjobs when the Mr. and Mrs. of the house were away. Without fail, every time, Cael was left there with his Nanny whom he's always managed to give the slip._

_They found their way out of the wrought-iron fence that separated the mansion from the rest of the town and right into the presence of a few older boys. Cael was their target, whom they pushed around and taunted without mercy. Cael never fought back, only took their teasing with his best brave face until Korey beat them up._

"_You should fight back, kiddo. They'll only be meaner if you let them."_

"_I don't wanna. It's bad to hurt people, Brother says so," the tyke answered smiling up at the older boy. "You'll save me though, right Korey?"_

"_I guess if I have to. C'mon, let's go."_

_It was always the same; every time they snuck out from the confines of the fence._

* * *

Korey sighed, wondering what he and his friends had gotten into.

Shortly after Grimmjow had shooed Cael off, and the others had gone their separate ways, the small-framed boy scurried his way back to find his own guardian. Grimmjow always tutored him in the ways of sword fighting. Now that the arrogant Espada had someone else taking up his time, he wondered if Ulquiorra would teach him. Maybe he would even learn something new. However, despite all his searching he couldn't find the man. Somehow he had disappeared quite well in the short period of time but Cael had already figured out a long time ago the Espada knew how to do some sort of teleporting magic trick.

His eyes sparkled, lighting up with a new idea, and his search was renewed with vigor by the prospect of a magic trick. Perhaps Ulquiorra could teach him how to teleport. His smile spread and his pace quickened, scouring the halls and unlocked doors of Las Noches.

* * *

This chapter took me a while. Since the story pretty much came to me in a series of sessions where I was lucidly dreaming, this part of the story wasn't really covered in my brain. That and all my OC's are pre-known to me, explaining them and not seeming half-assed or just crappy overall to everyone else proved to be difficult for me. I actually rewrote this three times, hence why it took so darn long. The first, I went ahead and didn't cover this in much detail only noting who was paired with who and continuing on with the storyline. The second, I had the children stay towards the back and the Espada chose their own but I figured that was redundant; they pretty much chose their ideal apprentice when they yoinked them from the world of the living, consciously or not. So, despite me not liking how this chapter turned out. I present you with this. Aizen has final say on everything anyway so he chose in the end.

Cael's memory leading up to his arrival in Hueco Mundo will become clearer in due time. If you don't recall, he couldn't remember how he'd gotten from the park to waking up in the desert.

...Tousen's part sounds so out of place. I've kind of been neglecting him and Gin though.


End file.
